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James Madison/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Tim and Moby board a bus. As they move, the bus stops at James Madison High School. An engraving is shown above the school sign. It says: "Education is the true foundation of civil liberty" - James Madison. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, who was James Madison and what did he do? From, Jessica. James Madison was the fourth President of the United States, and one of America's most important political philosophers. For writing much of the U.S. Constitution and the entire Bill of Rights, he's known as the Father of the Constitution. An image shows James Madison holding the Constitution. TIM: Madison was born in 1751 in Virginia to a large family of wealthy farmers. An image shows Virginia on a map of the United States. TIM: Growing up, James was frail and sickly; but he was tireless in his studies, even to the point of risking his health. An image shows Madison reading a book at his desk, surrounded by stacks of books. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Madison entered politics at twenty-five, as a delegate in Virginia's state legislature. It was 1776, the start of the American revolution. An image shows Madison talking with other delegates. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, during the war, the thirteen states organized a central government under the Articles of Confederation. This document formed a weak national congress and reserved the bulk of power for the states. An image shows big, strong men with heads shaped like different states (Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts), surrounding a short, weak man wearing a "Federal Government" sign around his neck. TIM: When the war ended, Madison and many others felt that a stronger federal government was needed to keep order and unify the nation. These Federalists envisioned a country where the state and national governments shared power. An image shows the man from the Federal Government now as strong and tall as the men representing different states. TIM: On the other side were the Antifederalists, who strongly supported states' rights: the idea that each state should be able to control its own affairs. The Federalists' moment came in 1787, when delegates from twelve states met to discuss changes to the Articles of Confederation. This later became known as the Constitutional Convention. An image shows Madison reading from the Articles of Confederation, surrounded by delegates from twelve states. TIM: Representing his home state, Madison proposed a strong federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Three images show symbols representing the branches of government Madison proposed. MOBY: Beep! TIM: Yep, it was actually very close to the Constitution that eventually passed. Tim and Moby's bus passes by Madison Avenue. TIM: But passing it was just the beginning; nine states had to ratify, or approve, the Constitution for it to go into effect. At the time, there was no guarantee of that happening. An animation shows a town crier ringing a bell and reading a document to the people gathering around him. TIM: Americans feared that a strong national government would be as bad as the British monarchy they had just finished fighting. To convince them otherwise, Madison and fellow Federalists Alexander Hamilton and John Jay published a series of anonymous essays in the New York press. An image shows Madison with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. TIM: Known today as the Federalist Papers, they were an eloquent, reasoned defense of the kind of democracy laid out in the Constitution. An image shows the cover of their essays, "The Federalist; A Collection of Essays, Writen in favour of the New Constitution.” TIM: By 1789, nine states had ratified the Constitution, making it official. But several key states, including New York and Virginia, hadn't yet voted. To win these and other states over, Madison agreed to a Bill of Rights. An image shows a document titled, "Congress of the United States." TIM: These first ten amendments of the Constitution provided clear personal protections against government power. An animation shows the Bill of Rights transforming into a clear, protective dome. It covers a man and protects him from the government, represented by two gavels pounding on the dome. TIM: The move worked; by 1790, all thirteen states had ratified the Constitution. Tim and Moby's bus drives by Madison Square Park. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, with the new government established, Madison served four terms in Congress, where he became a vocal critic of the first two presidents. When George Washington created a national bank and a standing army, Madison denounced both as unconstitutional. A split image shows the Bank of the United States on one side, and soldiers on the other. TIM: He was also critical when John Adams passed laws cracking down on free speech. An image shows Madison walking up to John Adams who is holding a document labeled “Alien and Sedition Acts.” TIM: Madison still believed in a strong central government, but he thought some of these expansions of power went too far. So he joined forces with Thomas Jefferson to create the Democratic-Republican political party. Its rival was the Federalist Party, created by Madison's former ally, Alexander Hamilton! An image shows Madison and Jefferson standing together and facing Hamilton. TIM: Jefferson was elected President in 1800, and he chose Madison as Secretary of State. Since Jefferson was widowed, Madison's wife, Dolley, acted as official White House hostess. An image shows Dolley Madison. TIM: Riding Jefferson's popularity, Madison was elected President in 1808. An animation shows Madison waving to a cheering crowd. A sign reads, "Madison is our man!" MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, at first, he stayed focused on limiting federal power. He refused to renew the national bank's charter, and it expired in 1811. An image shows a sign in a bank's window changing from “Open” to “Closed.” TIM: But he came to regret that decision when the war of 1812 broke out. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Britain had been provoking the United States in a number of ways. Tim and Moby's bus stops at the Madison Hotel. TIM: So Madison asked Congress to declare war in June of 1812. But with no national bank to borrow from, he had trouble financing the war. To make matters worse, both Jefferson and Madison had greatly reduced the size of the military. Side by side images show a “Closed” sign in the bank's window and the number of soldiers remaining in the military getting smaller and smaller. TIM: So the powerful British navy interfered with American trade and raided cities up and down the coast. An image shows a map of the United States with British ships positioned along the eastern coast. TIM: In 1814, British troops occupied Washington, D.C., and burned the White House. An image shows the White House on fire. TIM: But the United States held its own, scoring victories along the border of Canada, and in the South. An animation shows American flags popping up across the country, indicating where battles were won. An image shows Madison shaking hands with a British official who is holding a treaty. TIM: In December of 1814, the two countries came to their senses and signed the Treaty of Ghent, ending the war. And, after all that, Madison ended up changing his positions. Before leaving office, he oversaw the formation of a new national bank, and he strengthened the military: two things he'd have opposed in the past. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah, he learned from his experiences, instead of clinging to ideals. Anyway, Madison retired to his family's plantation in Virginia, where he died in 1836. Moby and Tim arrive at Madison Square Garden. A sign reads, "5th Annual Convention of History." People dressed in historical costumes walk into the building. Moby and Tim place white wigs on their heads. TIM: Well, here we are: Madison Square Garden, and the fifth annual convention of history buffs, enthusiasts, mavens, and aficionados. A man holds up a letter to Tim that reads "Dear Tim and Moby, Who was Elbridge Gerry? From, Coboy.". TIM: Uh, sorry but we're out of time. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Social Studies Transcripts